Chapter 56: Cautious Return

Perspective: Tyron


The sun held low over the landscape, turning the sky orange as it drooped towards the horizon. The landscape comprised grassy mountains and exposed stone. Here and there small pillars of stone jutted upwards, reaching to the sky like so many grasping fingers. And of course, it was all made of cubes - sharp, uniform, destructible cubes. The sun, too, looked squarish when it passed behind a cloud, as though it were a great glass container packed to the brim with cubic fire.

"Home sweet home," gasped Kir.

Tyron stepped forward out of the mouth of the portal.

"Don't get too comfortable, we just need a glimpse. Something to let us know that Freak was wrong. Nothing more. Then we'll go meet Astro."

He looked around the summit for tracks, or for crates, a road maybe, but found nothing. This portal was not a major highway, maybe not even a portal made by the Tower. Unfortunately, this was not at all reassuring. The horrible things Freak had told me came flooding back.

"I watched Him rise again..."

Tyron felt his heart pound like a cannon, desperate to shatter him from the inside.

"...He walked your world, burning cities as he went..."

His lungs constricted as he remembered the dreams. Smoke like tar had poured into his nose and mouth, choking him, making him sleepy and heavy. He had seen spires burning, of cities he had saved, cities being rebuilt, those not yet made, forever and endless in their destruction as Herobrine strode through them, His very presence a source of desolation.

"...He took your dragons, and he crushed their skulls beneath his feet."

He scanned the skies. Desperate for a glint of red scales in twilight, or a plume of smoke or a jet of fire or anything.

"And he punished all those who had thought to rise against him."

Visions of torment. Seth at the gallows. Glowstar's wings straining upon the rack. Rathina amidst brimstone and smoke.

Tyron desperately cast his eyes about the horizon, looking for any sign of civilization, asking Kir to speed up the process and enhance his sight. And in response, Kir heightened and emphasized every detail of the land, screaming out its potential importance. Every shadow, every corner, every flash of grass against grey stone, every flash of grey stone against grass. Tyron saw everything and it hurt.

Then, a cobblestone hovel, winding stairs leading up to it, became apparent on a hill to the South. Tyron barely remembered to summon his stone wings as he ran forward and leapt from the hilltop. And as he soared forward faster and more frightened than he had ever done so before, he had little to no control. He tumbled as he landed halfway up the staircase, but was immediately standing again, charging up to the hut with a heart full of worries and questions.

Finally, legs aching, and lungs ragged, he made it to the top. The sun shone fully in his eyes, and he could barely see the hovel, but he ran towards the impression of it. Hand outstretched, he readied to shove down the door when something landed between him and it. This something hit the ground like a meteor, splitting the wind and shaking the earth. Tyron fell back and raised Kir in defence.

"Make me combat ready!" He screamed internally. This came out vocally as a strangled roar.

"Tyron, wait!" warned the sword.

The Dragoknight felt his muscles lock up.

The creature had a long snout, and teeth like daggers. Its wings were fathoms wide. And its scales were a lovely green, speckled with blue and white to look like a nebula in the night sky. And it had such kind eyes.

"Hello Tyron," said the dragon.

"Glowstar!"

Tyron leapt to his feet and patted him warily on the nose, not sure whether to accept the dragon was real or just assume he'd gone crazy, and this was some sort of fever dream. The dragon snorted happily in response and nuzzled Tyron with his neck. However, after a second of warm greetings, the dragon was all business.

"Where have you been?" Glowstar asked. "We haven't seen you in weeks. Seth said you entered a mineshaft, but we found no trace."

"It's a long story but that's not important right now, is everyone safe? Is Herobrine still dead? Is Rathina alright?"

"Rathina!" Kir chirped redundantly.

"What are you talking about?" asked Glowstar. "Of course, he's dead, you killed him yourself… Tyron, where were you exactly?"

Tyron felt weeks of anxiety and bitterness and grief drain out of him in the shape of a single tear which seeped into his fur.

"Somewhere far away, where news was pretty bleak."

"That is an unnecessarily oblique answer."

Momentarily purged of negative emotion, the Dragoknight felt a new sense of purpose filling him. His world was safe, and he had to keep it that way. He was going to go to his meeting with Astro, and they'd bring Kay back into line, and he'd be safe too. And they'd patch things up between him and Shadow. And he'd teach Warnado how to kick Glibby's stupid head clean off. And they'd save Fire and - and - and -

"Sorry buddy, it'll have to do for now!" he burst out. "I need to get back for a meeting. All you need to know is there's a new big bad to fight - and it's worse than Herobrine. Gather everyone you can and wait for me outside - one sec, I've lost my bearings - that Nether portal tomorrow. Can you do that?"

Glowstar leapt back and spread his wings to their full breadth, looking ancient and wonderful, like a monument to a well-remembered ruler.

"Of course, Dragoknight!" rumbled Glowstar. "Anyone in particular?"

"The entire old crew. Rathina, Seth, the dragons, the rebel Endermen, the cities. If you have time even check up on Lupi's old wolf, Blizzard. Literally any and every fighter will make a difference."

"Rathina coming!" Kir shouted enthusiastically.

"Kir, yes, calm down a minute, I know you're excited but let me talk," said Tyron aloud.

"I shall, Dragoknight, although-"

"Rathina coming!"

"Kir, I swear to Notch, will you ever shut up?"

"Excellent question," a light voice said from behind Tyron.

He turned.

"Hi Rathina," he said breathlessly.

"Oh, hello Tyron, I didn't see you there," she snarked. Thankfully, her green eyes betrayed that she was actually pretty happy to see him. "So, what's the story with the disappearance?"

He stood there, completely silent for a few moments. Rathina, his love, stood before him alive and unharmed. The same straight, dark hair cascaded out from beneath her hood and past her, and her smug grin shone enticingly at him. He felt as though he had been rooted to the ground.

"Thought we were hurrying," cracked Kir.

"Well, maybe we can spare a few minutes…"

He reached out for her arm. She looped it around his neck. They kissed. And for a few short moments there was nothing in his mind but the feeling of her against him, the blinding glow of the sun, and the flow of mountain-top wind through his fur.